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Thread: Billy O'Brien goalkeeper

  1. #1
    Blue in the Face
    Guest

    Billy O'Brien goalkeeper

    If we were trying to sign Wales goalie Michael Crowe and lost out to Preston, then it's likely it was because we could only offer him the promise of DVP football. Which would mean that we are in the market for a DVP keeper for the year ahead.

    I've mentioned a couple of times about 22 year old Billy O'Brien, who was Man City's DVP no.1 for ages and was always ahead of Crowe for the Welsh u21s at the same time. When I saw him for Wales I thought he looked a real talent with great potential.

    It looked as though it was probably a bad sign that he hasn't had many takers but I did a bit of trawling on the internet and realised that this poor fella was struck with a bloody awful tragedy in regard to his personal life. No bloody wonder he has gone off the radar over the past season.

    Our goalkeeping coach Andy Dibble seems to know the lad and I think he should touch base with this lad (if he hasn't already) and we should offer this lad a trial and give this unlucky chap the chance to get his career back on track. If we want to be the number one club in Wales and we should behave accordingly and show some class to our internationals if they are struck with nightmare scenario that this lad has been dealt.


  2. #2
    International
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    Re: Billy O'Brien goalkeeper

    Why are so many post about people we should sign all about goal keepers. It could give Etheridge the feeling we don't want him.

  3. #3

    Re: Billy O'Brien goalkeeper

    Quote Originally Posted by xsnaggle View Post
    Why are so many post about people we should sign all about goal keepers. It could give Etheridge the feeling we don't want him.
    This is about a keeper for the development squad

  4. #4

    Re: Billy O'Brien goalkeeper

    very sad what happened in his life hard for a young man to deal with

  5. #5

    Re: Billy O'Brien goalkeeper

    Quote Originally Posted by xsnaggle View Post
    Why are so many post about people we should sign all about goal keepers. It could give Etheridge the feeling we don't want him.
    What happens if Etheridge has

    a) A loss of form
    b) An injury
    c) A month off for an international tournament?

  6. #6

    Re: Billy O'Brien goalkeeper

    Scouting team : "Well, there's this promising keeper we should look at"
    Club: "Nope, sorry we want to be the number one club in Wales and should behave accordingly and show some class to our internationals if that are struck with nightmare scenario O'Brien has been dealt".

    I have every sympathy for O'Brien but we need to get the best available players in.

    EDIT: Isn't he contracted to Macclesfield anyway?

  7. #7

    Re: Billy O'Brien goalkeeper

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...s-herself.html

    what a sad story and once again shows how vulnerable people are ( especially the youngsters )

    The sad thing is, the problem could have been sorted via surgery

    how sad

  8. #8

    Re: Billy O'Brien goalkeeper

    Poor guy, I see no harm in offering him a trial

    He only had a one year deal with Maccesfield, I think

  9. #9

    Re: Billy O'Brien goalkeeper

    Quote Originally Posted by City123 View Post
    Poor guy, I see no harm in offering him a trial

    He only had a one year deal with Maccesfield, I think
    Were a PL football club not the bloody Samaritans.

    So we give every young football reject with a sad story a sympathy trial?

  10. #10

    Re: Billy O'Brien goalkeeper

    Quote Originally Posted by J R Hartley View Post
    Were a PL football club not the bloody Samaritans.

    So we give every young football reject with a sad story a sympathy trial?
    I don't really see a reason why we shouldn't give a goalkeeper judged better than one of our transfer targets by Wales Under-21s a trial

  11. #11

    Re: Billy O'Brien goalkeeper

    Quote Originally Posted by City123 View Post
    I don't really see a reason why we shouldn't give a goalkeeper judged better than one of our transfer targets by Wales Under-21s a trial
    Judged by who exactly?

  12. #12

    Re: Billy O'Brien goalkeeper

    Quote Originally Posted by J R Hartley View Post
    Judged by who exactly?
    Geraint Williams, who used manage Wales Under 21s, he was also judged to be good enough to start for Manchester City's DVP team and play in the UEFA Youth League

    He's Welsh, he's young and he's free. I don't really see why giving him a trial would be so bad

  13. #13

    Re: Billy O'Brien goalkeeper

    Quote Originally Posted by City123 View Post
    Poor guy, I see no harm in offering him a trial

    He only had a one year deal with Maccesfield, I think
    Yep - no longer at Macc. Macc are without a keeper or a reserve and I know he was well thought of so may be looking at him again.

  14. #14
    Blue in the Face
    Guest

    Re: Billy O'Brien goalkeeper

    Quote Originally Posted by ccfc_is_my_life View Post
    Scouting team : "Well, there's this promising keeper we should look at"
    Club: "Nope, sorry we want to be the number one club in Wales and should behave accordingly and show some class to our internationals if that are struck with nightmare scenario O'Brien has been dealt".

    I have every sympathy for O'Brien but we need to get the best available players in.

    EDIT: Isn't he contracted to Macclesfield anyway?
    Every time there's a thread on Welsh/CCFC youth players you seem to end up trolling TOBW. You seem to think your intuition imparts you some inherent knowledge that trumps the grit he shows by watching game after game after game, as well as his labour of him getting his honest thoughts down in into reports. I think you need to actually watch youth teams and players players before you can have a valuable opinion on them.

    Your post makes no sense and it's in slightly poor taste given you couldn't (yet again) be bothered to look into the subject your commenting on.

    Quote Originally Posted by J R Hartley View Post
    Were a PL football club not the bloody Samaritans.

    So we give every young football reject with a sad story a sympathy trial?
    The reason I'm suggesting a trial mate is because I think he looked a better keeper than Crowe who we apparently just tried to sign. I'm not suggesting a trial out of sympathy (fair point by the way), I'm suggesting that the tradgedy he has suffered might be the reason why his career has gone off the rails.

    My honest feeling is after having watched tons of Welsh youth games over the years that I've only gotten really optimisitic over two Welsh keepers since Hennessey came on to the scene. O'Brien and Ward have been the only two that have looked to have had potential. The rest of the contenders seem to be either lacking physically or technically (and the problem still persists down the age groups unfortunately). Goalkeeper has been a bit of a worry for me on the Wales front and I think there will be a lot of pressure on Ward to come good in the years to come.

  15. #15

    Re: Billy O'Brien goalkeeper

    If he's ready to get back into football, the start of his career would suggest he has all the potential to be a very good keeper.

    Is Etheridge going to Asia in January? A big month of football to be relying on Murphy or Camp.

  16. #16
    Blue in the Face
    Guest

    Re: Billy O'Brien goalkeeper

    Quote Originally Posted by surge View Post
    If he's ready to get back into football, the start of his career would suggest he has all the potential to be a very good keeper.

    Is Etheridge going to Asia in January? A big month of football to be relying on Murphy or Camp.
    Etheridge's career all but disappeared at one point too. The journey for goalkeepers can be quite different to outfield players. Managers tend to stick with their no.1's throughout a season. If you're not playing, often it's the case that no one knows what you can do. And managers don't want to gamble on keepers who don't have experience.

  17. #17

    Re: Billy O'Brien goalkeeper

    Quote Originally Posted by Blue in the Face View Post
    Every time there's a thread on Welsh/CCFC youth players you seem to end up trolling TOBW. You seem to think your intuition imparts you some inherent knowledge that trumps the grit he shows by watching game after game after game, as well as his labour of him getting his honest thoughts down in into reports. I think you need to actually watch youth teams and players players before you can have a valuable opinion on them.

    Your post makes no sense and it's in slightly poor taste given you couldn't (yet again) be bothered to look into the subject your commenting on.
    How the **** is that trolling TOBW who hadn't even posted in the fvcking thread at that point? In fact the only person who mentioned TOBW prior to this post was... you just now.

    The post makes perfect sense when it's mocking your incredibly dumb assertion we should give a trial due to being a) "Welsh international" and b) he went through a horrendous tragedy, as due to being the best club in Wales we should do something, like. You want footballing reasons to take second place to "looking good".

    If you want to throw crap out, might help if you read posts in the thread you created.

    I've every respect for TOBW. I disagree with his assessments of some players, disagree with his underlying intimations the club are letting yoof down. Hardly trolling him.

  18. #18

    Re: Billy O'Brien goalkeeper

    Quote Originally Posted by City123 View Post
    Geraint Williams, who used manage Wales Under 21s, he was also judged to be good enough to start for Manchester City's DVP team and play in the UEFA Youth League

    He's Welsh, he's young and he's free. I don't really see why giving him a trial would be so bad
    So one managers opinion, a man who has zero to do with Cardiff City?

  19. #19

    Re: Billy O'Brien goalkeeper

    Quote Originally Posted by Blue in the Face View Post
    Every time there's a thread on Welsh/CCFC youth players you seem to end up trolling TOBW. You seem to think your intuition imparts you some inherent knowledge that trumps the grit he shows by watching game after game after game, as well as his labour of him getting his honest thoughts down in into reports. I think you need to actually watch youth teams and players players before you can have a valuable opinion on them.

    Your post makes no sense and it's in slightly poor taste given you couldn't (yet again) be bothered to look into the subject your commenting on.



    The reason I'm suggesting a trial mate is because I think he looked a better keeper than Crowe who we apparently just tried to sign. I'm not suggesting a trial out of sympathy (fair point by the way), I'm suggesting that the tradgedy he has suffered might be the reason why his career has gone off the rails.

    My honest feeling is after having watched tons of Welsh youth games over the years that I've only gotten really optimisitic over two Welsh keepers since Hennessey came on to the scene. O'Brien and Ward have been the only two that have looked to have had potential. The rest of the contenders seem to be either lacking physically or technically (and the problem still persists down the age groups unfortunately). Goalkeeper has been a bit of a worry for me on the Wales front and I think there will be a lot of pressure on Ward to come good in the years to come.
    My Samaritans comments were aimed at City123 mate, who on initial reading sounded like he was suggesting a sympathy trial. On second reading I’ve probably been a bit harsh on him

  20. #20

    Re: Billy O'Brien goalkeeper

    he would be a DVP keeper for us

    he was good enough for Man city DVP

    as others have said, no harm in giving him a trial, i never did get the " welsh players first " thing that so liked to shout about, as the days of local boys playing for a local team are long gone, even at the top end of the non-league ladder, but in this case, why the hell not

  21. #21

    Re: Billy O'Brien goalkeeper

    Quote Originally Posted by blue matt View Post
    he would be a DVP keeper for us

    he was good enough for Man city DVP

    as others have said, no harm in giving him a trial, i never did get the " welsh players first " thing that so liked to shout about, as the days of local boys playing for a local team are long gone, even at the top end of the non-league ladder, but in this case, why the hell not
    We've had a Newcastle United keeper on trial - highly rated, played for England u21s or was it u19s where there is more competition.

    Who knows if O'Brien wants to play football anymore? Who knows if we may have offered him a trial and it's been rejected - with all he's been through, chances are he'd want to stay north west with family. Good enough to play league football for Macclesfield, would he want to come here to be stuck in DVP?

  22. #22

    Re: Billy O'Brien goalkeeper

    Quote Originally Posted by J R Hartley View Post
    So one managers opinion, a man who has zero to do with Cardiff City?


    I've given you reasons why giving someone who was judged to be better than a transfer target of ours a trial MIGHT be a good idea, the only reason you're arguing against this seems to be that you have some perverse belief that being a contrarian makes you smarter than everyone else

  23. #23
    Blue in the Face
    Guest

    Re: Billy O'Brien goalkeeper

    Quote Originally Posted by ccfc_is_my_life View Post
    How the **** is that trolling TOBW who hadn't even posted in the fvcking thread at that point? In fact the only person who mentioned TOBW prior to this post was... you just now.

    The post makes perfect sense when it's mocking your incredibly dumb assertion we should give a trial due to being a) "Welsh international" and b) he went through a horrendous tragedy, as due to being the best club in Wales we should do something, like. You want footballing reasons to take second place to "looking good".

    If you want to throw crap out, might help if you read posts in the thread you created.

    I've every respect for TOBW. I disagree with his assessments of some players, disagree with his underlying intimations the club are letting yoof down. Hardly trolling him.
    Apologies for calling you a troll. The truth is the thread was destined to have no replies so I wrote something contentious to get replies (as we know Neil reads the board). I hope the sum of all my posts does do justice to my argument that this player's talent may have suffered because of the course his life has gone.

  24. #24

    Re: Billy O'Brien goalkeeper

    Thought this article may shed some light on what happened to Billy O'Brien's career.

    https://starlaneend.com/2018/08/03/b...e-heroes-tale/

  25. #25

    Re: Billy O'Brien goalkeeper

    Quote Originally Posted by Maccy Blue View Post
    Thought this article may shed some light on what happened to Billy O'Brien's career.

    https://starlaneend.com/2018/08/03/b...e-heroes-tale/
    good read - Fair play to the lad

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